Protective cover for a dispensing valve assembly



Aug. 2, 1960 F. F. SUELLENTROP PROTECTIVE COVER FOR A- DISPENSING VALVEASSEMBLY Filed May 22. 1959 2,947,451 Patented Aug. 2, 1960 PRGTECTIVECOVER FORADISPENSING VALVE ASSEMBLY Fred F. Suellentrop, Mehlville, Mo.(27 6 Lemay Ferry Road, St. Louis 25, Mo.)

Filed May 22, 19759, Ser. N0. 815,179

1 Claim. (Cl. 222-182) The present invention is `directed primarily to anovel protective cap or cover for a particular dispensing valve assemblythat is incorporated in a disposable metallic container of theself-dispensing type.

More specifically stated, the present invention relates to a novelprotective cover designed for use with the dispensing valve assemblydisclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,852,168 granted to me onSeptember 16, 1958. t

From a sanitary standpoint,I it is obviously desirable to protect avalve assembly of this. character against con,- tamination when instorage. More importantly, it is essential to shield the valve stemagainst accidental contact at any time, inasmuchas any movement of saidstem no matter how slight, will cause someof the gas pressured contentsof the container4 to escape.

Consequently'therefor, it is of utmost importance to rst of all protectthe valve stems of self-dispensing containers during shippingoperations. In other words, in the course of packing, loading, andtransportation operations with respect to the containers as they aredelivered to their destination from the processing site, there is.

always Vdanger that such containers may be mishandled, upset, orotherwise have their valve stems accidently tilted, unless a properprotective cap or cover therefor were provided.

Furthermore, assuming thatthe containers 'had arrived at theirdestination intact, it is-essentia1 that their valve stems be shieldedagainst contact fin the course of handlings by the merchant andthepurchaser at the retail level.

protected against contact during subsequent store to hometransportation. And as should bewell understood, it is very desirable toshield these valve stems during the time elapses that normally obtainbetween dispensing operations.

Accordingly, the principal object ofthe present invention is to providea novel protective cap orcover for the dispensing valve assemblydisclosed in my said patent, without requiring any change whatever inthe construction, assembly, and mountingthereof.

This particular dispensing valve assembly as clearly set forth in thesaid patent, comprises but two elements, these being a` generallytubular valve steml of molded plastic material, and a grommet of moldedresilient rubber mate-` rial. Intermediate its ends, thel stemisprovidedA with `a circular section that forms a shoulder against whichthe upper end of the sleeve segment of the grommet abuts. The externaldiameter of this sleeve segment is slightly greater than that of saidcircular section of the stem.

The grommet also includes a neck segment from which.

Additionally, it is important that the valve stems be` wardly outwardlyto provide a shoulder for the purpose explained in said patent.

In the attainment of the primary objective of the present invention, thecombined external peripheries of 'said sleeve and neck segments areutilized. As will appear, the protective cover herein contemplated,includes integrally: a top wall, a circular side wall, and a tubularsection that depends from the top wall centrally of said cover. A novelinternal thread formation is provided in the lower end portion of thetubular section, in consequence whereof the cover may first be manuallypressed into place, and preferably but not necessarily, thereupon givena slight rotation whereby to provide a hermetic seal about the valvestern, as will appear.

It has been found that the resiliency of the grommet lends itselfreadily to such application of the cover in that although readilydeformable for the purpose, the sleeve and the neck segments thereofwill revert immediately to their original contour when the cover isremoved. Consequently as will appear, the protective cap or cover memberof the present invention may be said to produce a hermetic seal by thefrictional engagement of the novel internal thread formation aforesaidwith the external peripheries of the sleeve and neck segments ofthe'grommet.

The invention is illustrated on a sheet of drawings that accompaniesthis specification, and a more comprehensive understanding thereof maybe had from the detailed description that follows with 'reference tosaid drawings, wherein Figure l is a side elevational view of anexemplary self-dispensing metallic container having the protective coverof the present invention in place thereon;

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view through the upperportion of the container and the protective cover, taken on the line 2-2of Figure l Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, with the protectivecover in vertically spaced disposition relatively to the container; and

Figure 4 is a greatly enlarged view of the lower end portion of thetubular section that depends from the top Wall of the cover.

The dispensing valve assembly of my said Patent No. 2,852,168 may beincorporated in variously contoured top closure members for containersof the type under consideration. The incorporation thereof in two suchclosure members is illustrated in said patent. It will be understoodtherefore, that although the present invention is directed specificallyto a protective cap or cover for the said patented valve assembly, thevalve assembly itself may be incorporated in container top closuremembers of various contours and coniigurations.

The exemplary container C illustrated in the present drawings isprovided with a top closure member a that is identical with thatdisclosed in the patent aforesaid. This closure member has a bottom wallw, and a central opening o that is surrounded by an upstanding circularflange f. The dispensing valve assembly disclosed in said patentincludes a generally tubular valve stem 12 of molded plastic material,and a complemental hollow grommet 14 of molded resilient rubbermaterial.

The vertical cross-sectional configuration of the grommet 14, as itappears when incorporated in the closure member a about the valve stem12, is illustrated in Figure 3 where it is seen to include a sleevesegment 42, a main body 44, and an intermediate or neck segmentdesignated 46. The external diameter of the sleeve segment 42 isslightly greater than that of the circular section 24 of the valve stem,and the external periphery of the neck segment is tapered downwardlya'ndoutwardly as indicated at 50.

As hereinbefore stated, the cover of the present inf '3 vention isspecifically designed to protect and seal this valve assembly forshipping -purposes and when the container is not in use. Designated inits entirety by the numeral 60, said icov'er is of :domel'ikeconguration'and' molded of plastic material to include a top wall 62,and anoutwardly'flared cylindrical side wall 64 that terminates at thebottom in a circular rim portion 66. Depending centrally from the topwall 62 is a tubular section 68. having an internal diameter thatslightly exceeds that of the circular section 24 of the valve stem 12.

Provided in the lower end portion 69 of the tubular section68 is a novelinternal thread formation shown on a greatly enlarged scale in Figure 4,and generally designated. 70. It will be noted that the threads 72 Vofsaid formation are'continuous and helically formed. It will also beobserved that thefpitchY of` the threads is such as to produce acontinuous helical groove 74 having a width at least equal to, or fslightly greater than the base dimension of the threads 72. It willfurther be observed that the crests of said threads are minutely roundedas indicated at 76.

Y With attention directed to Figure 3, it will be apparent that thecover C may be quickly applied and removed as suggested by the brokenline arrows. Assuming'for example that the application of the cover Cwere contemplated, it would only'be necessary to hold the container C inone hand, and press the Vcover 60 downwardly with the other hand untilthe rim portion 66 thereof engages the` top wall T of theV containertCabout the closure member a therein incorporated. When the rim 66contacts said top wall T, the cover 60 would preferably but notnecessarily be rotated approximately 180 degrees in a clockwisedirection as viewed from above, thus insuring a hermetic seal about theupper portion of the valve stem 12, and simultaneously obviatingfortuitous displacement of said cover.

The described status of the cover 60 relatively to the stern 12 andgrommetcomponents 42 and 46 is illustrated in Figure 2. From acomparison of this view and Figure 3, it should be apparent that as thecover member is pushed or pressed downwardly past the circular section24 of the valve stem, the thread formation 70 would deform the resilientgrommet sleeve segment 42 and 'the upper portion ofthe neck segment 46in such manner that the displaced peripheral portions thereof willprotrude into the groove 74. Consequently, the interior Vof the tubularsection 68' would become sealed against entry thereinto of atmosphere.It should be apparent that with this arangement, fortuitous displacementof the cover will be obviated. This feature is of critical importanceparticularly in the shipping of containers, inasmuch as even though thecontaner C should be struck against or upended in transit, the cover 60will remain in place. Furthermore, the stem 12 cannot be tiltedaccidentally so long as the cover is in place.

The crest diameter of the thread formation 70 is minutely larger thanthe peripheral diameter of the stem circular section 24, so that in thedownward movement of the cover 60, said circular section serves as aguide for the thread formation 70 thereof, as should be apparent. Theradiused or rounded crests 76 of the threads 72 facilitate the pressingof the cover 60 into sealing position without requiring rotation of saidcover during this operation.

' same.

It will of course be readily manifest that as the rim 66 comes intocontact with the top T of the container, the thereafter partial rotationof the cover member as mentioned hereinabove, serves to automaticallyaccentuate the theretofore existent frictional engagement of the covermember relativelyzto said sleeve and neck seg- Removal of the cover60may`be-accomplished quickly by a reversal of the procedure followed inthe application thereof. In ,other words, it is only necessary tomanually rotate the cover member approximately 180 degrees in acounterclockwise direction while simultaneously raising Instantaneouslythereupon, the sleeve and neck segments of the grommet -14 -will revertautomatically to the normal contour thereof illustrated in Figure 3.

In view of the foregoing description augmented by an inspection of thedrawings, it is believed that an adequate 'disclosure' foracomprehensive understanding of the present inventionhas ybeen presented.As pointed out hereinbefore,` the protective lcover of this inventionhas been devised for use on a particular dispensing valve assembly, andwith respect to` saidV valve assembly, it should be manifest that novelmeans are incorporated in the cover for attaining the objectives setforth.

What I claim is:

A protective cover for a dispensing valve assembly of the character,disclosed, said vassembly being mounted Icentrally in the-closure memberincorporated in the top `with neck segment that hasa downwardlyoutwardly tapered external periphery, said sleeve and neck segmentsprojecting upwardly above the bottom wall of the closureY member and.said stem projecting upwardly above the top of the sleeve segment, theprotective cover aforesaid corn` prising integrally in combination: atop wall merging intoV ani outwardly flared cylindrical side wall thatterminatesV at the bottom in a circular rim portion; aY tubular vsectiondepending centrally from said top 'wall and having an internal diameterslightly exceeding the largest external diameter of said stem; and aninternal thread Vformation pressed downwardly from above about theprojecting portion of the valve stem until the bottom rim of the cylin-`drical side wall contacts the top wall of the container, the interna-lthread formation aforesaid of the tubular seo- Ytion will deform theexternal peripheries of said grommet sleeve and neck segments into4frictional threaded engagement therewith whereby to provide a hermeticseal about the valve stem, to obviate fortuitous displacement of saidcover, and to simultaneously preclude tilting of said valve stem. Y

References 'Cited in the file of this pat-ent UNITED STATES PATENTSSoifer Mar. 22, 1955 Soffer Apr. 22, 1958 2,877,936` Michel Mar. 17,1959'

